CREAM CHEESE RUM FROSTING

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

1- 8 oz gray box cream cheese

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

¾ teaspoon rum extract (omit, if you don’t like the flavor)

Candied pecans, ground cinnamon, or cinnamon sticks- for garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. In the bowl of a standing mixer- fitted with a paddle attachment, combine all the frosting ingredients. Cream until smooth.

2. Pipe frosting on top of the cooled cinnamon buns. Garnish to your liking. Close the lids of the bakeable tins and freeze until ready to use.

Gooey, cinnamon flavored, and delicious, these babkas are a hybrid between the classic cinnamon bun and monkey nut bread. Finished off with a Purim-inspired, rum frosting, they make the ultimate breakfast treat.

Yield: Around 15 Babka Buns

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup warm milk (you can mix ¾ cup milk with ¼ cup boiling water)

2 ½ tablespoons yeast

4 ½ cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

½ cup sugar (minus 1 tablespoon)

2 eggs

1 stick butter

Melted butter or oil

2 cups brown sugar

4 tablespoons cinnamon

2 tablespoons instant vanilla pudding

¾ cup chopped walnuts

¾ cup chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a small bowl combine the warm milk, yeast, and 1 tablespoon sugar. Let rest for about 1-2 minutes until foamy.

2. In the bowl of a standing mixer- fitted with a paddle attachment, add the flour, salt, sugar, eggs, butter, and yeast mixture. Mix until a dough forms.

3. Set dough aside, cover, and let rise for 1 hour.

4. Preheat oven to 350° and grease your square tins with cooking spray.

5. Lightly flour your work surface and divide the dough into 2 balls. Roll out each ball into a large 16 x 8 rectangle and spread melted butter or oil on top.

6. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, instant vanilla pudding, chopped walnuts, and pecans, and sprinkle half of the mixture over each greased dough.

7. Starting from the wider side of the rectangle, tightly roll up the dough. Slice into ¾ inch buns and place 4 pieces into each square tin.

8. Bake for about 25 minutes until golden brown (try one bun to taste for doneness). Remove from the oven and let cool. Finish with frosting-see recipe.

NOTE: Store in the refrigerator for up to a week.